Spices and herbs in the country play roles that go way beyond just cooking, and they are regularly used for their curative and therapeutic properties. India produces about 75 of the 109 varieties of spices listed by the International Organization for Standardization. The country has today emerged as the world’s largest producer, consumer, and exporter of spices, and overall production of different types of spices has been growing rapidly over the last few years.
Actually, North Eastern India can emerge as the major supplier of organic foods to the globe. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said this while speaking at the International Buyer-Seller Meet and Spices Conclave organized by the Spices Board of India for the North Eastern Region in Guwahati. Sarma said that in the present scenario, wherein the entire globe is on the look for healthy foods that are at par with the international standards of food safety and quality, free from any chemical residues and other contaminants.
Assam produces nearly 3.1 lakh metric tonnes of spices annually. The state holds a major share in the production of spices such as ginger, turmeric, coriander, mustard, chilli, and garlic.
The North Eastern Region has acquired special attention on the global map owing to the quality of spices that are considered organic and, amongst the many unique products and features for which the region is famous, spices are of special recognition, having global demand.
The Chief Minister further informed that Assam produces nearly 3.1 lakh metric tonnes of spices annually. The state holds a major share in the production of spices such as Ginger, Turmeric, Coriander, Mustard, Chilli, Garlic, etc. He also said that being the gateway of the North East India, with better connectivity and fast developing infrastructural facilities; the state has the potential to be a major hub for post-harvest processing and value addition of spices from the region and can become one of the major exporting hubs.
Lauding the Spices Board for its initiative to start a Quality Evaluation Laboratory for Spices at Guwahati, the Chief Minister said that the laboratory will be of immense help and benefit to the North Eastern Region as this will make available state-of-the-art testing facilities for spices that are at par with the international standards, in the region itself. Saying that due to lack of adequate infrastructure & industry presence for processing and value addition of spices, presently most of the produce goes out on raw or semi-processed stage resulting in low income to the farmer and producer, Sarma stressed on proper coordination between Spices Board, Farmer Producer Organizations and Agriculture as well as Industry Department.